Microsoft has released source code from the Singularity research project onto Codeplex under an academic, non-commercial license. "The Singularity Research Development Kit is based on the Microsoft Research Singularity project. It includes source code, build tools, test suites, design notes, and other background materials. The Singularity RDK is for academic non-commercial use only and is governed by this license."

yea, you cant earn money on it, but by the looks of it, microsoft may very well earn money on your work on the code...

Yep, that's exactly right, and it just shows how Microsoft doesn't get how open source software processes work and how sad they are about creating soundbites around the whole subject.

In any open source project, those contributing code have to be getting something in return for the code that they're contributing. In the case of the GPL, this might mean that they are guaranteed to get other peoples' code contributions in return on a level playing field, or in the case of a more permissive license, they can at least use it for commercial or proprietary uses.

Who in their right mind is going to contribute to a Microsoft project, for free, where they get nothing in return in terms of being able to use the code commercially, or as part of a proprietary endeavour, and where Microsoft can simply take code contributions, make money off them themselves and not contribute any of their code back to everyone else?

It's a huge waste of time, and one great big yawn. For anyone wanting to create anything of actual use, they'd better not look at any of this code.

You can't earn money, or use it in a commercial context (running on a business pc). You can modify and redistribute the code, but your derivitive falls under the MS-LA as well. Also, anything under the MS-LA (including derivitive works) fully belong to microsoft, and they can use the code in any way they choose.

Please re-read the license. The user of the software or any application you develop using the provided software can't be used to make money.

You are also restricted from using the software in any place where a commercial software package exists. Thus, you can't use this system as your main OS; even if you don't use your system for making money.

I.E. If I develop a spread sheet program on the system, I can't sale it. Any one I give it to also can't use it in a business to make money.